Scabies rash in children causes severe itching, and if not treated on time it can worsen the condition and spread the infection to others. Here are the causes, symptoms, and treatment related to this condition.
Scabies is a contagious skin condition, that occurs due to a human skin mite. These mites burrow under the skin and keep laying eggs, thus producing new mites. Scabies infection is frequent in places where it is crowded. For example, places like college dorms, classrooms, camps, hospitals, daycare centers, etc. It can affect anybody despite somebody being clean or dirty as the human mites can get transferred from an infected person to another person just by touching.
One can also get this condition if mites infested object is touched or used. Hence, it is important to teach your children to avoid using personal items of other children like combs, hats, brushes, etc. This condition is highly contagious, and hence important measures and appropriate treatment should be taken to get rid it. To identify scabies, here are the symptoms of scabies in children that will help.
Symptoms
Listed below are various symptoms of scabies, that will help you to identify this condition.
- Thin slightly raised lines on the skin, which are the burrows made by the mites by digging.
- Signs of scabies can be seen on the body areas where there are skin folds, for example between fingers and toes, on the wrists, behind the knee, around the groin or rear region, under the arms, etc.
- After 4 – 6 weeks of infection, a rash will show up.
- The scabies rash appears bright red with bumps and blisters.
- Scratching/itching of the affected area is the most prominent symptom.
- Itching that becomes severe during the night.
- Other signs like sleeplessness, tiredness, and irritability can also be noticed in children infected with scabies.
Treatment
Medicated Treatment
You can buy medications for scabies treatment over-the-counter, however if the symptoms are severe then seek medical help. The doctor will perform a physical exam by gently scraping the infected place and checking the skin under a microscope to see if there are any mites. For scabies skin infection, the doctor will give a topical cream. The creams can be sulfur creams or creams containing permethrin as an active ingredient.
These creams are to be left overnight. Make sure you don’t wash your hands after applying the cream, as the skin between the fingers is commonly infected by scabies. Then you can wash the cream in the morning. The doctor might also prescribe some antihistamines to stop the itching, these medications will also help you to sleep better. So, follow the instructions mentioned on the cream to use it, or apply it according to the instructions of the doctor.
Natural Treatment
If you wish to avoid using any chemicals for treatment of scabies, then there are two powerful oils which can be used for natural treatment. You can use tea tree oil or neem oil for treating the infection. Tea tree oil is a powerful antibiotic, which comes from an Australian plant called melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oil helps to kill the mites and eggs. Mix tea tree oil with jojoba oil in a 3:10 proportion, and apply this solution all over the body, once in the night and once in the morning. You can also add some drops of tea tree oil while taking a bath.
You can also use neem oil for treating scabies. This oil has been used for treatment since ages. For using neem oil for scabies, add neem leaf tincture and 2 – 3 tablespoons of neem oil in warm water bath and soak for 15 – 20 minutes in the bath. After the shower pat your skin dry and apply a solution of neem oil and jojoba oil (4:10 proportion) on the body.
Once the infection is cured either throw all your personal items away to prevent further infection or sanitize them well before reusing them.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
